Car-brake.



PATENTED NOV. 14, 1905.

F. T. WHITTED.

GAR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED A2318, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED NOV. 14,1905.

F. T. WHITTED.

OAR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.18, 1905.

2 SHBETS-BHBBT 2.

FELIX T. VVHITTED, OF W'HEETLEY, ARKANSAS.

CAR-BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1905 Application filed APTi1 905- gerial 256,296.

T 0 m7] whom it vita/y concern.-

Be it known that I, FELIX T. WHITTED, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wheetley, in the county of St. Francis and State ofArkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of carbrakes which embody operatingmechanism connected with the brake-shoes by means of levers.

The invention resides, essentially, in the special arrangement andconstruction of the lever devices by which the brakes are operated,whereby a maximum amount of braking action may be produced by theapplication of a comparatively small amount of power.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of acar-frame, showing the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is averticallongitudinal sectional View. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view onthe line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a View showing more clearly theoperating lever at one end of the car and the-mechanism connecting thesame with the brake-bars. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, theopposite operating-lever and adjacent mechanism being illustrated,however.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The brake mechanism comprising this invention is particularly designedfor use in connection with cars, though of course the principle thereofmay be applied in using the brakes upon vehicles of any class.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the lower frame ofthe car, the body of the car not being shown, and the usual trucks areutilized to support the car and embody the front and rear axles 2,having the wheels 3.

Arranged at opposite ends of the car 1 are transverse supports 4, whichsupports are substantially secured to the car-body in any suitable way.At a point about intermediate the ends of the supports 4, which may becarried by hangers attached to the frame of the car 1, are locatedlongitudinal guide boxes 5, in which slide the end portions of alongitudinal operating-rod 6, by which the brake mechanism is directlyactuated. The rod 6 extends the entire length of the car, preferably,and the end portions of said rod are square and provided with aplurality of teeth 7 longitudinally thereof.

Suitably journaled in hangers or brackets 8 and arranged above thetoothed end portions of the rod 6 are gear-wheels 9 and 9*, saidgearwheels having teeth in mesh with the teeth 7 of the rod 6. Thegear-wheel 9 at one end of the car is directly actuated by anoperatinglever 11, the lower portion of which is forked or bifurcated,so as to receive the gear-wheel 9 between the spaced lower portionsthereof. The lever 11 is pivoted coaxially with the shaft which supportsthe gear-wheel 9, and a handoperated latch-piece 12 is carried by thelever 11 and adapted to engage the teeth of the gearwheel 9, so thatwhen pivotal movement is imparted to the lever 11, with the latch-piece12 in engagement with the wheel 9, said wheel will be rotated and willimpart longitudinal movement to the rod 6, because of the inter meshingrelation to the teeth of the wheel 9 with the teeth 7 of said rod. Thelatch-piece 12 is connected by a connecting-rod 13 with a handle 14,pivoted to the lever 11 adjacent this handle for convenient manipulationby the brakeman or operator of said lever.

The rod 6 is deflected or curved downwardly at the central portionthereof in order to pass beneath the axles 2 of the wheels 3, and thisrod is connected with sets of brakelevers 15 and 16, said sets beingarranged at opposite ends of the car. The levers 15 are pivoted at apoint between their ends, as shown at 17, to transverse beams 18,forming a part of transversely-arranged arms 19, which projectdownwardly from the car between the supports 4 and the adjacent wheels3. Links 20 connect the adjacent ends of the sets or pairs of levers 15and 16 with the rods 6. The upper ends of the levers 15 are connectedwith brake-bars 21, which are slidable longitudinally upon the beams 18,upon which said levers 15 are carried. The parts 15 and 21 are mountedbetween upper and lower plates 22, which are rigidly secured,preferably, to the upper side of both beams 18. Guides 23 are formed atthe ends of the plates 22, so as to properly direct the movement of thebrake-bars 21, so that the brake-shoes 24, carried by the brake-bars 21,may be forced into contact with the wheels 8, with which they cooperate.

The points of pivotal connection of the levers 15 with the member 18 arelocated near the outer ends of the levers, so that the greatest amountof leverage may be obtained in actuating the bars 21, with which saidlevers are operably connected. In order that the longitudinal movementof the rod 6 in forcing the bars 21 toward the wheels 3 may likewiseforce oppositely operating bars 21, which are mounted for operation bythe levers 16, toward the wheels 3, with which they cooperate, saidlevers 16 are not directly connected with the bars 21*, as describedwith reference to the levers 15 and the bars 21. The levers 16 arepreferably provided at their outer ends with toothed segments 26, whichengage similar segments 27, formed at adjacent ends of connecting-bars28, which are pivoted between their ends to the beam 18, carrying thelever 16. The inner ends of the connecting-bars 28 have the segments 27,the outer ends thereof being pivotally connected with the bars 21,carrying the brake-shoes 24. The bars 21 are mounted between plates 22in substantially the same manner as described with reference to the bars21, the direction of movement of the sets of bars 21 and .21 being inopposite directions when these bars are simultaneously actuated by therod 6. It will be understood that the connecting-bars 28 are pivotedbetween the points of connection with the bars 21 and the levers 16, asindicated at 29.

The operating means for actuation of the rod 6 is located at oppositeends of the car, so that the brakes may be set from either end, and theoperating mechanism comprised in the parts 11, 12, 13 and 14, by whichthe gear-wheel 9 is actuated, is duplicated at the opposite end of thecar for operating the gearwheel 9. The gear-wheel 9, however, is notdirectly connected with its actuating-lever 11*, said lever beingarranged for direct actuation of a second gear-wheel 30, which is inmesh with the wheel 9 to actuate the latter in the same direction as thegear-wheel 9 is actuated when the lever 11 is pulled toward theoperator. The lever ll has the latch-piece 12, the rod 13, 'and thehand-piece 14, which parts are similar to those arranged adjacent thelever 11. The arrangement of the wheels 9 and 30, operated by the lever11, is necessary in order to impart the same longitudinal movement tothe rod 6 when the levers 11 and 11 are pulled toward the operator. Thewheels 9 and 30 are formed with ratchetwheels 31, which may beintegrally formed with the wheels 9 and 30 or keyed to the shaftcarrying said wheels, as found best in the practical embodiment of theinvention. The ratchet-wheels 31 are adapted to be engaged byratchetpawls 32, which are connected with foot-levers 33, pivoted to thefloor of the car in a position convenient for operation by the foot ofthe brakeman operating the levers 11 and 11.

Describing the operation of the invention, when the car is traveling inthe direction of the arrow (0 the brakeman will of course stand upon theplatform of the car at the end at which the lever 11 is mounted. Toapply the brakes, the brakeman by pulling the lever 11 toward him willrotate the gear-wheel 9, the latch-piece 12 being in engagementtherewith, and longitudinal movement will be imparted to the rod 6. Saidrod 6 will actuate the sets of levers 15 and 16, so that the brake-bars21 and 21 will be forced toward the wheels, and the brake-shoes 24 willbe thrown against the wheels in the customary way. If necessary, theoperation of the handpiece 14 will admit of forcing the lever 11 awayfrom the operator and then again pulling it toward him as many times asnecessary in order that the brakes may be set with the greatest amountof power in retarding the progress of the car. The operation of thelever 11* when the brakeman is at the end of the car adjacent said leveris substantially the same as described with respect to the lever 11, thesame longitudinal movement being imparted to the rod 6 because of thearrangement of the reversely-operating gears 9 and 30. The gears 9 and31 are of course prevented from releasing the brakes until the brakemanhas actuated the foot-pieces 33, which are connected with the pawls 12,the above permitting the wheels 9 and3l to freely rotate to permit thebrake-shoes 24 to move away from the wheels with which they engage.

It is designed that the rod 6 be made with the end portions thereofadjustably connected with the body portion by means of adjustableconnections 31 in the form preferably of turnbuckles.Theseadjustableconnections31 will admit of taking up slack caused by thewear upon the brake-shoes and will be very advantageous in the practicaloperation of the device.

It will be understood that suitable means may be provided to hold themembers 12, 12, and 31 of the levers 11 and 11 out of cooperation withthe wheels with which they coact under actual conditions of service.When the lever 11 is being used, the members 12 and 31 adjacent thelever 11 will be thrown out of cooperation with the wheels adjacent, andwhen the lever 11" is being used by the motorman the members 12 and 31at the opposite end of the car will be thrown out of cooperation withthe wheels engaged by them normally, the above being necessary in orderto permit the lever or operating-handle at one end of the car to actuatethe brake-rod 6 without interference on the part of the similarmechanism at the opposite end of the car.

Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In acar-brake, the combination of an actuating-rod, pivoted brake-leversarranged in sets, brake-bars for each set, brake-shoes operable by thebrake-bars, connecting means between the brake-levers and theactuatingrod, and means connecting each set of brakelevers with its setof brake-bars for operating said brake-bars in reverseidirections.

2. In a car-brake, the combination of a carbody, a brake-rod, anoperating-lever, rack; teeth carried by the brake-rod, a gear in meshwith the rack-teeth and operable bythe operating-lever, and brake-shoesoperable by the brake-rod.

3. In a car-brake, the combination of a carbody, a brake-rod, brake-barsdisposed longitudinally of the car, brake-shoes operable by thebrake-bars, brake-levers connected at one end with the brake-bars, andmeans connecting the opposite ends of the brake-levers with thebrake-rod.

4:. In a car brake, the combination of a brake-rod, brake-bars,brake-levers for actuating said bars and pivoted at a point betweentheir ends, means connecting one end of the brake-levers with thebrake-rod, and pivoted connecting-bars connecting the opposite end ofthe brake-levers with the brake-bars, the brake-levers and the pivotedconnecting-bars having intermeshing segments.

5. In a car-brake. the combination of a carbody, a brake rodlongitudinally slidable thereon, ends of said rod having a plurality ofteeth thereon, operating-levers at opposite endsof the-car,reversely-operating gears in mesh with the teeth at the ends of thebrakerod operable by the operating-levers aforesaid, brake-bars,brake-shoes operated by said brake-bars, and connecting means betweenthe brake-bars and the brake-rod.

6. In a car-brake, the combination of a carbody, a brake rodlongitudinally slidable thereon, ends of said rod having a plurality ofteeth thereon, operating-levers at opposite ends of the car,reversely-operating gears in mesh with the teeth at the ends of thebrakerod operable by the operating-levers aforesaid, brake-bars,brake-shoes operated by said brake-bars, and brake-levers pivoted at apoint between theirends and connected with the brake-bars and thebrake-rod.

7 In a car-brake, the combination of a carbody, a brake rodlongitudinally slidable thereon, ends of said rod having a plurality ofteeth thereon, operating-levers at opposite ends of the car,reversely-operating gears in mesh with the teeth at the ends of thebrakerod operable by the operating-levers aforesaid, sets of brake-bars,brake-shoes operated by the sets of brake-bars, and sets of brakeleversconnecting the sets of brake-bars with the brake-rod, one of said setsof brake-levers being connected with its brake-bars for reverseoperation of the latter with respect to the otherset of brake-levers.

8. In a car-brake, the combination of a carbody, a brake-rod arrangedlongitudinally of the car-body,- means for actuating the brakerod, setsof brake-levers connected at one end with the brake-rod, sets ofbrake-bars slidable longitudinally of the car-body and operated by saidbrake-levers, and means for moving one set of brake-bars in a directionreverse to the movement of the other set.

9. In a car-brake, the combination of a carbody, a brake rod movablelongitudinally thereof, brake-bars connected with the brakerod,brake-shoes operableby the brake-bars, ends of the brake-rod at oppositeends of the car being provided with a plurality of teeth, gears in meshwith the teeth of the brake-rod, operating-levers at opposite ends ofthe car, one of said operating-lev rs being directly connected with oneof the gears aforesaid, and other operating-levers being connected foractuating the other gear in a direction reverse to that of thefirst-mentioned gear.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FELIX T. I/VHITTED. [L. s]

Witnesses:

E. M. THIOKSTERS, D. F. MOPHAUL.

